Puller for fence posts or the like

Abstract

A post-puller adapted to be utilized by a farmer or similar person who is riding on a tractor or equivalent piece of equipment, the tractor having an attachment with the capacity to produce a vertical lifting load--to pull a fence post out of the ground. The apparatus includes a cage-like frame with an opening that passes centrally through the frame, the apparatus being adapted to pass over the top end of the post to be pulled. The cage-like frame has two spaced gripping members on its interior; these gripping members are preferably made of angle iron that is oriented so that the apex of the 90 degree angle will bear against a post that is positioned inside the cage. A lever is pivotally mounted on the side of the cage opposite the gripping members, and the lever has a surface or edge that bears against one side of a fence post to wedge it against the gripping members on the other side. Lifting upward on the outer end of the lever rotates it to a post-engaging position, and releasing the outer end will allow gravity to restore it to a non-binding position--when there is no weight on the lever as a result of supporting a post. When a rope or the like is used by a farmer to selectively lift the outer end of the lever, the farmer can drive his tractor to a location adjacent a standing fence post, position the cage over the top of the fence post, pull the post of the ground, release the post, and move to another location--all without having to leave the seat of his tractor.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for use in pulling elongated objects such as fence posts out of the ground, comprising: (a) a rigid structural member constituting a frame having a vertically oriented opening therethrough, and the opening having a size that is slightly larger than the cross-section of the largest post that is to be pulled from the ground, such that the post may be inserted into the opening by the act of lowering the frame over the post, and the frame constituting an open framework of permanently connected members forming a cage-like structure into which a post that is to be lifted out of the ground is inserted;   (b) means located at the top of said frame for transferring lifting loads to the frame;   (c) a pair of spaced gripping members positioned within the opening and at the back of the frame, and said gripping members being oriented so as to face inwardly and be generally horizontal when the frame is suspended vertically, and one of said gripping members being above the other so as to define upper and lower gripping members, and said gripping members constituting pieces of angle iron which are oriented so that the apex of the angle iron is pointed inwardly of the frame, such that a sharp edge is presented by each of the two gripping members to any post that is inserted interiorly of the frame;   (d) a handle pivotally mounted on the front of the frame in such a way that it passes through the vertical plane established by the front of the frame, and said handle having a relatively long portion lying outside the frame and a relatively short portion extending interiorly of the frame, and the handle being mounted such that the distal end of the short portion is adapted to be moved between horizontal planes through the upper and lower gripping members on the back of the frame, and the handle having means at its distal end for fostering connection with a rope, whereby the handle may be manipulated with a rope from a remote location and whereby a fence post may be engaged without the necessity of having a person standing immediately next to the post; and   (e) a post-contacting element mounted on the distal end of the short portion of the handle, and said element being configured to bear against a post that is inserted vertically through the frame, whereby the frame may be selectively lifted and any post which is wedged between the post-contacting element and the gripping members will be similarly lifted.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the handle has a plurality of apertures through which a bolt may be inserted in order to provide the requisite pivotal motion for said handle, and said plurality of apertures are arranged longitudinally of the the handle so that each aperture is a different distance from the post-contacting element, and wherein the weight of the long portion of the handle is significantly greater than the weight of the short portion, regardless of which of the apertures is used to provide a pivot point for the handle, whereby the handle will normally be biased by gravity into an orientation where the long portion is lower than the short portion, and whereby the sizes of posts which can be accommodated by the frame may be adjusted through the step of inserting the bolt into a selected one of the plurality of apertures. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for transferring lifting loads to the frame is located off the centerline of the frame in a direction away from the spaced gripping members and toward the handle, whereby a lifting load applied to the frame will be applied near the center of gravity of the apparatus, and the extra weight of the handle will not cause the frame to tilt as the frame is being routinely supported. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the handle is pivotally mounted on the frame utilizing a removable bolt that passes through the frame from one side to the other, and wherein the frame is locally reinforced so that the bolt is structurally supported near the point where the bolt and the handle are juxtaposed, whereby bending of the bolt is resisted as loads are imposed on the bolt through the handle.